2nd labour, did your episiotomy tear?

[Elllimam]

I'm currently 18 weeks pregnant with my second baby, for my first (now 14 months) I had an episiotomy. I'm a bit worried my scar tears this time. Anyone else had a natural labour after an episiotomy and didn't tear? If it tore did it tear badly? Xx

I had a large episiotomy with ds1 and a natural labour with ds2 - he was 6 weeks early but still weighed 6lb 1 so not a tiddler- no cuts or tears bar one small internal graze.

Yes, mine tore along the edge of the old scar tissue. It was fine though, much better than the episiotomy. And DD2 did shoot out like a speeding bullet.

The best advice is to let the midwives guide you on pushing and go slowly to minimise damage.

I had hideous 3rd degree tear with dc1 and then dc2 popped out with only a graze.... Plus only 18 months apart and dc2 was 2lb bigger!!!!

I had an episiotomy with DS1 and a second degree tear with DS2, not along the epi scar though which was fine - it was the other side.

Oh yes, should have said there's 11 months between my two.

I had a mega episiotomy with DC1, in the words of my fab midwife "cut from arsehole to breakfast time!"

DC2 was as close to a perfect birth as I ever got, no tears whatsoever. I've gotten to DC5 with no effect on my episiotomy scar at all. I was stitched really badly too so I expected trouble with it.

I had an episiotomy with DS1 & 11 months later DS2 arrived weighing 9lb 8 & no issues at all!

Do you think you did anything different with the second dc2 that helped not tearing? Have 3rd degree tear from dc1 that still (3 yrs later) gets sore and not keen to repeat the experience

18 months on from my enormous forceps related episiotomy, I had DC2. Unfortunately he was a pound and a half bigger than DD, and his shoulder tore open my scar. I would say that my mistake was shifting onto the bed, I had laboured standing up until that point and although I stayed on my hands and knees, it was easier standing. I'll know for next time. Also didn't help that it was so close to my first delivery.

I also found my tear was not as easy to get over as the episiotomy, but the episiotomy was stitched by a registrar in theatre, and my tear was stitched by a bitchy midwife who didn't like me (I had pooed on her), didn't give me enough local and tried to take the gas and air away. Was I glad when she went off shift! It just took longer to heal in my experience, and was a tiny weeny bit on the stinky side for a couple of weeks.

No and I have massive headed babies. With DD2, I had a tiny graze and the episiotomy scar was fine.